Author :: Meet Lisa Wysocky

Lisa Wysocky – Co-Author, Front of the Class

Lisa Wysocky is a Nashville-based music industry executive, equine clinician, and motivational speaker. Born in Minneapolis and raised in a nearby suburb, in her teens a riding instructor taught Lisa that by striving to be the best you can be, you often become the best anyone can be. That concept of success, and the instructor’s insistence that how you won in the show ring­­or in life­­was more important than what you won, changed her life.

Lisa studied to be a horse trainer at the University of Minnesota and after graduation, brought her ideas on success to the show ring. Early wins on the national horse show circuit took Lisa across North America, where she was often asked to speak or to write articles for nationally distributed publications. In her spoken presentations and in her articles, Lisa stressed the key to success was being the best you that you can be. Lisa’s passion for writing and speaking soon led to a second run at college where she studied communications and journalism.

A knee injury cut short Lisa’s career as a competitive horse trainer, but she took her unique skills and ventured into music. Six years as a correspondent for Nashville’s afternoon paper, the Nashville Banner, and her reputation in the music industry as a writer of quality biographical and promotional material, piloted Lisa to a career in public relations. She opened her own firm in 1989. Lisa is also very active in assisting clients with their public image and with their interview skills. Additionally, Lisa has headed several independent record labels, edited numerous books for other authors, written a weekly syndicated celebrity lifestyles column, and has been a regular featured guest on Jones Radio Networks syndicated overnight show, Danny Wright All Night.

Lisa is the author of the critically acclaimed book, The Power of Horses: True Stories from Country Music Stars, which features true horse stories from country music’s top artists; and the co-author, with Brad Cohen, of the uplifting and motivational Front of the Class: How Tourette Syndrome Made Me the Teacher I Never Had. Front of the Class has been seen on Oprah and Inside Edition and in People magazine. It was the winner of Best Education Book at the 2006 IPPY and the 2006 Foreword book awards and has been optioned by Hallmark for a Hallmark Hall of Fame Television Movie.

Many of Lisa’s accomplishments, and those of her clients and students, have come through her Success Within program. Success Within shows how true success is being the best you that you can be. Lisa’s book, Success Within: How to Create the Greatest Moments of Your Life incorporates these concepts into 52 fun ideas that have transformed thousands of lives.

Her book and DVD, My Horse, My Partner: Teamwork on the Ground focus on helping horse and human partners form amazing bonds using traditional ground training methods and desensitization. Many of Lisa’s equine clinics and presentations feature the methods discussed in the book and DVD.

Lisa is also a registered level NARHA (North American Riding for the Handicapped) instructor and in 2007 was chosen as one of the country’s top 50 riding instructors by ARIA (American Riding Instructor’s Association). Lisa spends time training horses for use in the therapeutic riding industry and consulting with therapeutic riding centers regarding their horse herds.

Testimonials
"Brad Cohen is a walking billboard for the idea of living positively. He is like a cold drink on a hot day--refreshing, energizing, and likely to put a smile on your face."Tim Shriver - Chairman of Special Olympics

"I have observed the magic of Brad Cohen in the
classroom. He has turned Tourette Syndrome into
an asset, and his life into inspiration."Senator Johnny Isakson, Georgia

"Brad Cohen's story is a triumph of hope,
determination, will and relentless good humor."Peter J. Hollenbeck, Ph.D., Professor and
Associate Head of Biological Sciences,
Purdue University